How hard is it to replace the front brake pads? And which do you recommend?

[homey1]

Looking to change out the pads on my 'new to me' '02 Venture.

How difficult is it? Tips?? Videos, links to a 'how to'?

And what brand do you guys use?

Thanks in advance!

[RedRider]

Easy. EBC HH.

 

And Welcome to VR

 

RR

[homey1]

Thank you!!

[Squidley]

Just like Jeff mentioned EBC HH pads. The rear ones you dont have to take the caliper off, although you may want to being your 1st time playing with it. The front have to come off, but it's not bad. If you run into problems of have any questions my # is in my profile, good luck with getting after it

[dacheedah]

my suggestions are that once you have pulled the old pads to use an old tooth brush and some air to clean the calipers and pistons before you push them back in. Follow that up with some break cleaner and a shop towel, then push the pistons back in. Reminder brake fluid is not kind to plastic, cover the bike below your master until you are buttoned back up.

 

If you have gg and replace with HH I would suggest replacing them all at once (HH are more aggressive) and then pump your brakes up before you ride it. Tons of threads on it.

 

switch inside and outside rear , the inside will wear much faster.

[darthandy]

Welcome to the fun house ... and don't worry ... we're all feeling much better now!

 

By the way, the EBC numbers you want are FA179HH for the front (2 sets) and FA123HH for the rear. The job is dead easy but I would recommend using a torque wrench to replace the bolts. This is a critical piece of safety equipment and it is a very good idea to ensure that the bolts are evenly torqued down and sufficiently torqued down without overdoing it. Even a cheap old style "beam" style wrench will do the job and in fact it may be better than a cheap "clicker" type wrench. The service manual is available in the tech section and there is usually someone available on the forum should you need a hand.

 

Also, if your present pads are very worn, you may have to push the pistons back in to fit the calipers back on the rotor. An easy trick here is to slightly open the bleeder screw and press the pistons with your fingers to force some brake fluid out. This will give you more working room to re-install the calipers. You may have to add a bit of DOT 4 fluid afterwards if this drops the level in the master cylinder too far. Check your fluid colour as well - if it has been a while since it was replaced, it may be a rather dark colour indicating that the system should be flushed out and the fluid replaced.

 

And the suggestion to clean the calipers and pistons is a very good one! Do it!

 

Good luck!

 

Andy

[IronMike]

And closely inspect the pins the pads slide on. Roll them on glass and make sure they are not worn where the pads slide on them. If they are ......replace the pins. Use a brake parts lube on the pins so the pads will glide in and out with the piston movement. I also always use disc brake quiet, spray that helps the PaD stick to the piston. It also helps prevent corrosion.

 

Note than normal grease will not replace brake parts lube. Its non wash out, dry, and high temp.

 

Getting it all clean and bright before you put it back on makes it a good job, better than a dealer will ever do.

 

Never replace both front and rear at the same time. Do one, complete it. Pump em and test ride then come back and do the other set. Good idea to bleed em each change also.

 

Over on the rodstarclinic I did a thread with pictures that walks you though it. Search front brake maint. By ms1700

Edited August 4, 2013 by IronMike

[syscrusher]

An easy trick here is to slightly open the bleeder screw and press the pistons with your fingers to force some brake fluid out. This will give you more working room to re-install the calipers. You may have to add a bit of DOT 4 fluid afterwards if this drops the level in the master cylinder too far. Good luck!

 

Andy

 

I don't understand this advice, unless he has Speed Bleeders this is likely to introduce air into the line. I would not do this. If you cannot press the pistons back with your fingers alone then find a larger open end wrench and use that inside the caliper slot for leverage in spreading the pistons apart. If need be you can use a 'C' clamp to push the piston back. Don't open the line when doing a caliper replacement unless something gives you the idea that there is already air in the lines or you want to flush the old brake fluid out. If you do open the line or the brake reservoir is emptied for some reason then you will have to bleed the brakes to ensure that there is no air in the brake system.

[RandyR]

if you put on new pads, they will be thicker, and you WILL have to push the pistons back to install them. This in turn will push up the level of the fluid in the reservoir. If the reservoir is full, it 'may' overflow. I have had that happen. Thats what the 'bleed a little' advice is for. I agree it may be risky (for getting air in the line) unless you follow normal bleeding procedures while lowering the level in the reservoir if needed.

[darthandy]

There is next to no chance of getting air into the system when pressing back on the pistons with the bleed screw open a bit especially if you don't open the master cylinder cover. In fact, the service manual advises you to do this when installing new pads as the way to make sure the caliper fits back over the pads.

 

Andy

[IronMike]

I take the reservoir cap off, take some fluid out with a turkey baster.... With the area covered against spill by as fender mat...then I take door shims and wedge them in from both sides and as you tap on them the pistons go back in.

 

BUT. Before you do that clean the pistons with a tooth brush and WD 40. Make them shine. THEN push em back in.

 

I have also used two chisels and scrap wood, an old RR tie nail, and as of late, the plastic shims work fantastic.

 

On the pads, I used the hh once and it cost me a pile of money as they do wear the rotors, had to buy new. Now I just run factory type pads, I buy mine from shadetree motorsports. Just a short drive down the road but they ship for free.

[IronMike]

Here is link to my How to on the clinic same procedure for venture

 

http://roadstarclinic.com/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,187/func,view/id,185299/catid,58/

[dingy]

I do not like the popular choice of HH pads. These are as mentioned above 'aggressive'. That term means that they will last a long time with little wear and dig into the rotors. This translates into accelerated rotor wear, that then leads to grooved or warped rotors.

 

My preference is kevlar pads. I will admit, you may have to use a little bit more lever pull to get the same hard stopping power as the HH's. But without having tried it, I really believe you can lock the front wheel on either set of pads. If you can lock wheel, you have more than enough brakes.

 

With the kevlars, you will need to change pads a little more frequently, but that's a lot cheaper than changing rotors at $200 apiece.

 

Putting my flame suit on as you read this.

 

Gary

[RandyR]

I use large vice grip pliers to squeeze back the pistons with the old pads still in them, after cleaning with brake cleaner and a tooth brush.

[IronMike]

No flame suit needed . I did mention I used the hh pads and I toasted a rear rotor in one set and the fronts only took two sets to be trashed. Dealer warned me.

 

Now I am sure it depends on how you ride. I went to the Dragon area two up and loaded three times a year . but with the normal pads I have never had such a problem. Only did the hh one year. Learned my lesson.

[syscrusher]

Randy, unless one has topped off the brake fluid reservoir after the last time pads were changed and levels were set then the excess capacity of the reservoir will provide space for the brake fluid to be pushed into, unless the reservoir was overfilled to begin with. Remember, you are adding pads of the same thickness, within tolerances, as the ones that just wore out. There is no "extra fluid" to displace. If the reservoir needs to be topped off at odd intervals then there is a leak in the brake system that seriously needs to be repaired for safety's sake. There probably is only a slight chance of air entering the system but as long as you keep the system closed there are no worries.

[homey1]

Thanks for all the advice, guys. Now I'm wondering if HH are the way to go. I dont need to be replacing rotors!